Over the past year I have posted my Laptop on EBay at least four times, and I always "sell" it but the buyer never pays, everyone that i talk to says that EBay is a good way to sell unwanted items but for me it never works out. Does anyone have any similar stories, or tips for me or anyone wishing to sell an item using EBay?

ChrisCh

If you have a problem with the buyer never paying, first check that you have entered your PayPal email correctly into eBay - because without this, your buyers may not be able to pay you via PayPal at all... Also, check a (potential) buyer's eBay feedback rating - usually it's a number, which increases by one every time that you successfully buy or sell something. Although many are legitimate (and we all have to start somewhere), users with a 0 feedback rating pose the highest risk to sellers. Furthermore, you are entitled to file an ''unpaid item strike'' if someone doesn't pay - and eBay has filtering settings available to block users who have received more than one of these during a predefined period of time - definitely worth considering, or at minimum, check out your buyer before the auction closes!

deanhills

TiffanyTerrorXO wrote:

Over the past year I have posted my Laptop on EBay at least four times, and I always "sell" it but the buyer never pays, everyone that i talk to says that EBay is a good way to sell unwanted items but for me it never works out. Does anyone have any similar stories, or tips for me or anyone wishing to sell an item using EBay?

PayPal was a real pain in the butt for me with my one and only experience with EBay. I bought software, and then when I signed up with PayPal my credit card info was a problem, as the name on my card is different to my name. There were so many hazzles that in the end I had to courier cash to the seller in California. I don't think many people would do that. So I imagine that one of the reasons you may not get paid is because of registration problems with PayPal. Maybe you need to ascertain from the buyers whether they already are registered with PayPal, as if they are, then maybe it would be easier for you to be paid.

standready

Sorry, I can't help you. The few items I have sold have always been promptly paid for. I have even had a first timer that paid immediately. If someone does not pay, you don't ship. Contact Ebay and get your selling fees returned to you.
If a buyer is having problems paying for whatever reason, they should contact the seller immediately.

ocalhoun

Also, if the highest bidder can't pay, you might be able to make a deal with the next highest bidder.

TiffanyTerrorXO

I just find it odd that, if some one decides to "buy now" during an auction that they completely close it out even if they do not pay for the item. I believe that it should still be on the market until someone actually pays for the item.

Bikerman

No that wouldn't work. Payment can sometimes take a week or so and it wouldn't be fair to have the bidding open during that period. As far as the law goes, once the winning bid is accepted then a legal contract is in force and you cannot then legally leave the item up for sale.
Technically anyone not paying, after winning the auction, is breaking the law. The problem is that it would normally require a civil case to get the money and in most cases it isn't worth the hassle...

deanhills

Right, also this then becomes a unique situation between the buyer and the seller. In the example I mentioned, I asked for additional time as I needed to ship the cash all the way from Dubai to Los Angeles. Then things got complicated as Fedex in California could not find someone to deliver it to, I have a suspicion that they did not even try that hard. So I finally had to phone the seller (that was a very expensive piece of software in the end) and that took a few additional days as well. I learned then that there is a complete difference between Fedex serving the Middle East and Fedex in California.

Anyway, this is to illustrate that it would be in EBay's interest to stop everything once the seller has found a buyer. Probably also out of fairness to the other bidders, as some of them must have been bidding for the same software product with other sellers, so could conclude transactions with others.

ProfessorY91

Always buy, never sell. Best thing to do with old computers is put them to use as servers or whatever. If you must get rid of it, go to a pawn shop or something, or sell to family under the guise of putting some easy to use linux distro like Ubuntu on it... and claiming its a fast computer with the ability to browse the internet and nothing else. It'll go. I hate selling crap on Ebay. For those who have the time, great, props to you, but it really does seem like more of a pain in the ass than not. I'd rather spend my time trying to figure out how to make money though Google's Adsense or whatever. Or write a successful blog. Or go to a protest. Or browse for a job. Just preference.

deanhills

ProfessorY91 wrote:

Always buy, never sell. Best thing to do with old computers is put them to use as servers or whatever. If you must get rid of it, go to a pawn shop or something, or sell to family under the guise of putting some easy to use linux distro like Ubuntu on it... and claiming its a fast computer with the ability to browse the internet and nothing else. It'll go. I hate selling crap on Ebay. For those who have the time, great, props to you, but it really does seem like more of a pain in the ass than not. I'd rather spend my time trying to figure out how to make money though Google's Adsense or whatever. Or write a successful blog. Or go to a protest. Or browse for a job. Just preference.

I'm the same. I always give my stuff to someone who really needs it, or put it next to the garbage. The last computer I had was still in very good shape when I upgraded to the present one, and it gave a nice feeling when the children of the family I gave it to were so happy with it. That was an unexpected bonus. All they needed to do was go out and get an LCD, the rest was all there.

goutha

It's very rare that people don't pay for stuff they bid on unsing ebay.

The best way to avoid this is to set a filter to block new users or users with less than 10 positive feedback. In general users with negative feedback or new users don't honor their bids.

Good luck selling your laptop.

mathiaus

There is an option when selling of only allowing people with so much positive feedback to bid.

I sold my laptop on ebay. Buyer paid the day after the auction ended. Stuck it back in the box, stuck a label on and sent it on it's way. It isn't always bad!

ocalhoun

mathiaus wrote:

It isn't always bad!

I as well have had some good experiences on ebay.

My only bad experiences are when an item I put up for sale doesn't get any bids at all... I tend to have better luck with items that have practical, obvious value... Things like used auto parts.

coolclay

There is a setting that you can force buyers to pay instantly when they use Buy it now. I have been selling all manner of stuff and even operate a small Ebay business (selling other peoples stuff) for almost 7 years now. I have only once had a problem with a buyer. I guess you've just gotten unlucky or something?

deanhills

coolclay wrote:

There is a setting that you can force buyers to pay instantly when they use Buy it now. I have been selling all manner of stuff and even operate a small Ebay business (selling other peoples stuff) for almost 7 years now. I have only once had a problem with a buyer. I guess you've just gotten unlucky or something?

Not true. There are a number of "unlucky" people. But, yes, I have heard of satisfied sellers and customers too. My experience was not a good one, but mostly because of PayPal, that in my opinion is really nobody's pal

Here are links to a large number of Websites with plenty of complaints in them from both sellers and buyers. If you search on PayPal, you will get even a larger number of complaints:

I think that I am just going to call it quits with trying to sell anything using ebay. I have not had any problems with buying things from the site but i know that some of my family members had problems with some things that they have purchased for Christmas gifts, i guess ebay is one of many things people take risks with these days.

deanhills

TiffanyTerrorXO wrote:

I think that I am just going to call it quits with trying to sell anything using ebay. I have not had any problems with buying things from the site but i know that some of my family members had problems with some things that they have purchased for Christmas gifts, i guess ebay is one of many things people take risks with these days.

Have you tried Craig's List?

TiffanyTerrorXO

The last time that i visited craigslist it confused me... things just seem jumbled on that site.

deanhills

TiffanyTerrorXO wrote:

The last time that i visited craigslist it confused me... things just seem jumbled on that site.

I can see your point. It is not as well organized as it is on EBay for example.

TiffanyTerrorXO

I think I am just going to wait, as long as I get my raise at the factory and get started with my Mary Kay and Party Lite businesses I shouldn't have to worry about the money.

Afaceinthematrix

I've never sold on ebay, but I have purchased on ebay many times and have only had one problem with a seller.

I purchased an item with the buy now option and then immediately paid. Two days later, the seller marked the item as shipped. I was happy; everything seemed to have gone well. I paid and he shipped within a reasonable amount of time (anything less than three days and I am happy). About three weeks later I still had not received my merchandise. I emailed the guy and asked for shipping information (like a tracking number). He never responded. I emailed him everyday for a week. After about another week (so one month total), I get an email saying that if I sent him the money he'd ship! WHY WOULD YOU MARK IT AS "SHIPPED," IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED MY MONEY (even though I figured he was lying and trying to con me). So I emailed him the paypal confirmation number. He emailed me back asking for my credit card number "to confirm the transaction." I immediately contacted paypal and opened a case with him. That guy then emailed me back "trying to resolve the issue." He wanted my credit card number "to verify payment" and I basically said "up yours!" I then told ebay that he was trying to scam me like that so they refunded my money and that guy's account was actually closed. What sucks is that I wanted the item relatively quickly and I wasted over a month with this guy. So I bought it from someone else with no problems.

TiffxMaggot

Yeah the website has good intentions but some people like to abuse anything and everything these days.